Family Feud: The Witching Hour Series Book 5

by Joanna Mazurkiewicz

  "You know you can always rely on me."

  "I know, Kate. I know."

  An hour later, we finished work. It was Monday night, and the traffic was terrible during rush hour. It was late when Kate dropped me home. She was worried about me, about what I’d said earlier on. She wanted me to invite her for dinner, but I told her I had a date with Nathaniel.

  I didn't go inside my apartment in the end. Nathaniel called cancelling our plans. He had to work late and told me not to wait for him, so I texted my other best friend, Nicky, and drove to visit her. She used her magic to take my mind off negative thoughts and today was one of those days that I needed it.

  Nicky was a full-blooded fairy and was happily married. She lived in an apartment block in a nicer part of London. After receiving an extraordinary number of hugs, I stepped into her home, feeling warm and flustered.

  "You have to tell me if you’re all right talking about your grandmother?" she asked later, standing outside her house. "I'm only saying it because I understand how you feel. This isn't easy, not at all."

  As soon as she said that, I knew that my best friend was going to use her magic to make me feel better, and sometimes that didn't end too well. She sensed my tension and fear. Things in my life were just about to change and I had a feeling that it wasn’t going to be for the better, but worse.

  Chapter 6

  Conflict.

  "I guess I have to talk about it," I said, and then felt someone around my legs. Tommy and Jessica wrapped themselves around me.

  "Auntie Julia is here! Auntie Julia is here!" Tommy was screaming with joy.

  "Hey, little fairies, have you been good for your mummy?" I asked, trying to lift them up, but Nicky was already pushing them away saying they could play with me later.

  "It's okay, Nicky, I wanted to see you guys. Your kids always take my mind off things. They’re so full of energy."

  “You're right about that; however, you look like you need to use my special room. You’ll feel so much better, just let it all out," Nicky was saying, reminding me of what she did to become de-stressed. I had almost forgotten about it.

  "So, do you really do this? Releasing your magic and screaming without a reason? What about the neighbours?"

  "Don't worry. I have everything figured out. Just get in there and scream as loud as you can."

  I wasn't too convinced about her methods, but I felt like I needed something today. I took my shoes off and walked to the smallest room in the apartment. The surge of magic hit me automatically, electrifying my hair and ceasing my own excess energy. The windows were shaded, and I inhaled the smell of jasmine. Nicky's magic filled the room at tremendous speed.

  I didn't even turn the light on, feeling magic rise within me as sparks of flames rushed over my fingertips. Then, I heard a loud knock, and I jumped, startled.

  "Seriously, go for it. You’ll hear yourself, but we won't hear a thing," she said. "It's the best way to feel like a new you."

  Maybe this was the most absurd thing I’d ever done in my entire life, but I went for it. Instead of holding back and wondering what if, I roared out my frustration at the top of my lungs, releasing bright, multicoloured magic light and excess energy all over the room. Waves of my magic left my body and bounced off the walls, illuminating the entire space. It was strange, but as I kept screaming my voice went higher and higher.

  My pores opened up, energy flew out and I continued roaring, as hard and loud as I could. The pressure behind my eyelids, the stress of the day began to fade. My body was slowly clearing out any excess magic that had been accumulating deep inside my core.

  I didn't know how long I screamed, but I kept my voice at the same level. Eventually I was out of breath and ended up collapsing into a heap on the floor, taking long and slow breaths. Then it finally hit me—my grandma was gone, and she wasn't ever coming back. I would never hear her harsh voice ever again. She would never again tell me off for being with Nathaniel.

  I stayed in the same position for another ten minutes until my heart stopped beating a hundred miles an hour. I had known people who had died, but no one had ever died in my family before.

  In that moment I felt numb, and sad. I should have spent more time with her. I swallowed my tears and decided to get it together, save my tears for the funeral.

  My excess magic was gone, and I felt much better than I did a few hours ago, lighter and freer. I just needed to have a normal conversation with someone. Nicky knew me better than anyone; we had known each other since we were young.

  When I walked to the living room Nicky was on the sofa with the kids, reading them a story. I leapt towards them and started kissing them furiously on their cute rosy cheeks.

  "Aunt Julia, are you okay now? Mummy said you don't want to make magic with us," Jessica complained, spreading her fairy dust everywhere.

  "No, sweetie, we’ll play after, I promise, but let me speak to Mummy first, okay?"

  "Talking is boring."

  "Tommy, don't be rude. Come on, you two, go and watch TV for a little while and then you can play with your Aunt Julia."

  "Okay," they both shouted and ran to the other room.

  "Where’s Mark?"

  "He had to work late, but that’s okay. It gives us more time to chat." She smiled, patting me on the back. "So, how are you doing?"

  "I'm getting through it. Everything with my grandmother is stressing me out. My dad is in pieces and I’m unable do anything until the funeral on Friday. On top of that, the wedding has been put on hold," I explained, wondering where I would start with this whole murder investigation.

  "Everyone knows your grandmother wouldn't have committed any kind of fraud. It's a load of crap if you ask me," Nicky assured me. "Have you got any news about your Grandpa Fred?"

  "No, he hasn't been seen since God knows when. I had no idea he was going away so often. The whole family is really worried. I don't know what’s going on, but I'm planning to get involved, so you’re welcome to give me some ideas."

  "Get involved in what? You know how many times you’ve gotten yourself into trouble. Do you really think it's a good idea?"

  Nicky was shaking her head using her abilities to send me calming vibes. Okay, maybe I needed it, but at the end of the day it was a murder case. Grandma would have wanted me to pursue it, to find out what exactly had happened to her.

  "It's different this time, Nicky. Nathaniel and I are a team now. Besides, Dad won't let it go. He’s too stubborn, and I can't let him get fired."

  Nicky sighed. "I don't know. The murder is very odd. What if this had something to do with what happened last year?"

  "There is that possibility, and that’s the reason I need to find out who killed her."

  She probably understood what I was talking about. I could see the worry on her face.

  "I bet your vampire lover wants to tie the knot as soon as possible. What’s his view on your plan?"

  "We set the date just before we got to my grandma’s house, but now I’m really not sure what will happen. Nathaniel isn't too keen on getting involved in this case. He thinks I'll be putting myself in too much danger."

  "Yes, he’s right about that, but have you got any clues anyway? Do the police have any idea who that wizard is that your grandmother was seen with recently?"

  "No, no one knows, but the clue might be somewhere in the house. I won't start looking until after the funeral. Dannika White is my father’s right hand. It's her case now, so I have to be really careful. Dad was removed from the investigation because it's a conflict of interest."

  "What about the Elves Association? Haven't they noticed anything?"

  "I never thought of that. I really don't know, since I cut myself out of all the meetings. Thanks for the tip. It would be good to find out more about Grandma’s responsibilities." We continued to discuss other options and possibilities. My gut feeling told me that there was much more going on in the community. Maybe her murder was a coverup for something much bigger. I thought abou
t her dead body lying on her perfect living room floor, and I knew deep inside that it was my responsibility to find the culprit who killed her.

  Later on, Tommy and Jessica kept me occupied, so I could forget all about my worries and escalating problems. It was lovely to spend some time with them, playing and imagining being a child again. These innocent creatures didn't have a care in the world.

  It was just after eight when I left Nicky's apartment. She promised to pay her respects to Grandma on Friday and told me to try and stay out of trouble. It was cold in London, and I needed to get back to my own apartment.

  Suddenly standing there outside Nicky's apartment block, I felt so completely alone. I looked to the sky as the darkness was slowly enveloping the streets. Tron had promised to stay in touch. I could only hope he would keep his promise and wasn't planning to disappear on me, not when my grandmother was dead. I needed as much help as I could get.

  I ran to the car knowing that I shouldn't be out on the street alone. Jasper was probably waiting for a moment like this, but I didn't have time to worry about him. Jasper needed to get over the fact that we were never going to be together. Nathaniel had taken care of the repairs for my car and I got it back yesterday.

  When I switched on the engine, I changed my mind about where I was going to sleep tonight. I drove to Canary Wharf. It was really late, and I knew that he should be home by now. We were supposed to have dinner together, but his meeting had stretched on. Tonight, was one of those nights when I didn't want to be alone.

  Nathaniel lived in a much pricier part of London. It took me another hour before I got there. Rufus had scheduled me in for a late shift, so I didn't have to worry about getting up early in the morning. My body was calm. I didn't have to worry about the tingling and buzzing in my ears.

  Once I sorted out the parking and started walking to Nathaniel’s building, I felt a prickle on the back of my neck, the kind where you know you’re being followed. When I looked behind me I didn't spot anyone. It was a gated complex with twenty-four-hour security, so maybe I was just getting paranoid.

  The human security guard nodded when he saw me. A couple of weeks ago, Nathaniel had given me a key to his place. When we first met, he was afraid of commitment, buried in his own world. Now we were a team, partners. The past was behind us.

  His door was unlocked when I tried it. In the hallway I inhaled his signature scent: lime and lemon zest. I took off my coat feeling goosebumps rising on my arms. I was so glad to see him after such a long and stressful day.

  Nathaniel was in the living room sitting in the dark. He was holding a glass in his right hand.

  I tiptoed up to him from behind, hoping to surprise him. He had much better hearing than any other humans, so I had no idea if this was going to work. I reached from behind and put my hands around him.

  "Hello, my vampire. Miss me?"

  "What the—"

  I wasn't even aware I was being flipped over, as it happened so fast. I was standing one second, then I landed with a thump on his sofa. His strong hands were wrapped around my neck holding me in place. Panic rushed through me.

  "Nathaniel! It's me, Julia, calm down," I managed to choke out while trying in vain to pull at his wrists to ease the hold on me. In the darkness his eyes were wild, the hunter in him bleeding through. They dilated and filled with flames, like some kind of power had taken over. His fangs descended, and a low growl slipped past his lips. I doubted he even realised he was hurting me.

  When suddenly he released his grip, he jumped off the sofa dropping the glass of scotch on the carpet.

  "Fuck! Julia, what the hell are you doing here?"

  "I didn't want to be alone, so I thought I would surprise you," I said, rubbing my neck. "I let myself in."

  "Don't fucking do that again! I could have killed you!" he shouted. I got up as my power came back surging through me again, like I wasn't in control anymore. I switched on the lights.

  "All right, calm down. I knew you were working late, so I thought I would come over."

  "Next time call, for fuck’s sake. I thought we agreed you weren't supposed to be driving around alone."

  Right. Something was wrong here. Nathaniel looked on edge and he had never before lost control over a minor thing like that.

  "Nathaniel, please, I don't want to fight. It's late and we’re both tired. It was a silly thing to do, a joke," I insisted, wondering what the big deal was. "Can we just go to bed?"

  "Why are you so stupid? You can't just walk in here like you own the place. Call next time to let me know you’re coming over."

  He was shouting now, and I stood there like an idiot, not understanding what the hell was going on.

  "But you gave me your key, Nathaniel—"

  "I don't care. You’re so reckless sometimes. I'm fed up with your naivety—"

  "You know what? Forget it! You’ve obviously had a bad day and I'm not going to be your punching bag. I'm leaving," I roared, then picked up my bag and walked away.

  "Oh, don't be so dramatic."

  "Shut up. I can't believe you’re behaving like this."

  Once I was out the door I tried to breathe, feeling as though all my energy had left me. Tears pushed through, trailing down my face. Instead of walking back to him, I ran downstairs wondering what the hell was wrong with him. Why all of a sudden had he turned into a right arsehole? He could be overbearing and out of control at times, but he’d never treated me like that.

  After I got into the car, my hands were inflamed again. There were other people in the car park, so I drove off as soon as I could, sobbing like a complete moron. I had no idea what just happened inside Nathaniel’s apartment.

  I just wanted a cuddle and he totally freaked out. Half an hour later I was at home. The exhaustion took over. As soon as my head touched the pillow I was out, forgetting about what happened.

  Chapter 7

  Something is off.

  The alarm woke me up just after eleven, and for a split second I didn't know where I was. I remembered having a really, really bad dream last night. For some reason I had gone to see Nathaniel and he started shouting at me without any reason, behaving like a total arsehole. We ended up having a fight and I stormed out. Luckily, it was just a dream. He wouldn't ever speak to me like that.

  I dragged myself out of bed feeling rested, my skin buzzing with new fresh magic. My apartment looked like a tip and it was just about time to clean it up. When I brushed my teeth and washed my face, it hit me that I hadn't been dreaming about last night. Nathaniel had really treated me like garbage. We did have a real fight. I wasn't supposed to stay at his apartment last night, and he took a simple misunderstanding too far. He was mean and violent. Damn it.

  I sighed loudly and then dressed. I expected him to text me or call me to apologise. I checked my voice mail, but I didn't have any messages. I was disappointed with myself, with him. Maybe he was angry that I didn't let him know I was going to come over late, but then I realised his argument didn't make sense. He’d asked me to stay in his apartment.

  I had some food, watched some pointless programme on the TV, but couldn't get Nathaniel and that stupid argument out of my head.

  I managed to get to work at three o’clock, ready for a night shift. I didn't want to admit it, but I was hoping he would have at least made an effort to call or send flowers. I ran through the events from yesterday evening again, thinking that maybe I should have called, but for Chrissakes, we were engaged, and we were going to share a life together. We practically lived together now anyway. It was okay for me to go and see him spontaneously.

  I told myself that I couldn't worry about things like this, so I didn't even try to call him. That night the hours at work dragged on slowly and I was glad when I was able to go home. Lucinda was ringing me every hour with a new order. Apparently, the factory was testing some exciting new products and a few staff hadn't shown up. The night passed without any problems, but Nathaniel hadn't made an appearance. My phone was silent and on
Wednesday morning I was so angry that I couldn't even think straight.

  I slept through the day and in the evening, I went back to the office to do my final shift before the funeral on Friday. Rufus insisted that I at least take a couple days off, so I didn't have to get back to work until the following Tuesday.

  "So, did he call?" Kate asked when I walked in right before she was about to leave. I shook my head, trying not to get wound up.

  "No."

  "Okay, in that case, don't even try to fix it. Let him stew."

  Kate had this concerned expression on her face that I didn't like. She was probably worried that after the idyllic few months, things between me and Nathaniel had started to go sour.

  Tonight, I was in a really shitty mood. Kelsie promised to pop over later on before her date with Michael. She was my distraction, always eager to discuss her annoying boss, Lucinda. She always managed to lift my bad mood.

  "I'm not bothered about why it happened. He spoke to me like shit, so it's up to him to apologise. Meanwhile, Dad’s looking for Grandpa on his own. This will only get him in trouble," I explained to Kate, knowing what my father was like.

  "Let's wait until after the funeral, then we’ll have an idea of what to do. Call me when you need me; otherwise I'll see you on Friday."

  "Okay, I will. Thank you, Kate."

  I felt lucky that I had so many friends. The press still followed me like dogs, trying to snap my picture at any given moment. Since Sunday there had been many stories about Grandma, labelling her a fraud and an old woman that used vulnerable people who had entrusted her with their life savings. The magical community hadn't yet commented on all these allegations, but I was certain they were going to make a statement soon enough. I stopped reading papers and listening to the news. It was pointless because I knew I would get even more frustrated.

  Tron sent me a brief message via courier that he would show up at the funeral. I was hoping I could learn more about my grandmother’s secrets from a few of her friends. It was just after ten when the office started to get busy. Trolls, vampires and hags were arriving for an induction. Lucinda, who was the HR Director at La Caz Pharmaceutical, asked for another dozen packers. I couldn't stop thinking about my relationship, knowing that my so-called "fiancé" was sitting in his large office, not even thinking that he needed to apologise.